Dead Sea

Dead Sea

Coordinates	31°30′N 35°30′ECoordinates: 31°30′N 35°30′E
Lake type	Endorheic Hypersaline
Primary inflows	Jordan River
Primary outflows	None
Catchment area	41,650 km2 (16,080 sq mi)
Basin countries	Israel Jordan Syria Lebanon Palestine Egypt

Lowest Point

 The Dead Sea is located in the Syro-African Rift, a 4000-mile fault line in the earth's crust.  The lowest point of dry land on earth is the shoreline of the Dead Sea at 1300 feet below sea level.  That the lake is at the lowest point means that water does not drain from this lake.  Daily 7 million tons of water evaporate but the minerals remain, causing the salt content to increase.  Figures for the Dead Sea's salinity today range from 26-35%.  

The Dead Sea has served as the backdrop to some unforgettable events on the world’s stage of history: the patriarch Abraham fought a war there, David hid there from King Saul, the prophet Ezekiel had visions there, the story of Masada happened nearby, and Jesus was baptized there by John the Baptist.

Healthy Water

 The unique concentration of the Dead Sea waters has long been known to have medicinal value.  Aristotle, Queen of Sheba, King Solomon and Cleopatra were all familiar with this and modern doctors as well often prescribe patients with skin ailments to soak in the waters of the Dead Sea.  Because of the dropping level of the Dead Sea, the southern end is no longer under water, except for that which is channeled by aqueducts for the purpose of extracting minerals.

Biblical Period

Just north of the Dead Sea is Jericho. Somewhere, perhaps on the southeastern shore, would be the cities mentioned in the Book of Genesis which were said to have been destroyed in the time of Abraham: Sodom and Gomorra (Genesis 18) and the three other "Cities of the Plain", Admah, Zeboim and Zoar (Deuteronomy 29:23). Zoar escaped destruction when Abraham's nephew Lot escaped to Zoar from Sodom (Genesis 19:21-22). Before the destruction, the Dead Sea was a valley full of natural tar pits, which was called the vale of Siddim. King David was said to have hidden from Saul at Ein Gedi nearby.

In Ezekiel 47:8-9 there is a specific prophecy that the sea will ".. be healed and made fresh", becoming a normal lake capable of supporting marine life. A similar prophecy is stated in Zechariah 14:8, which says that "Living waters will go out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea (likely the Dead Sea) and half to the western sea (the Mediterranean)..."